Tom McCandless

Tom E. McCandless

MCC Geoscience Inc.
1925 Fell Avenue
North Vancouver, B.C.
V7P 3G6 Canada
phone: 604-988-2275
temccandless@gmail.com

CV and Publications

Degrees:

•  B.Sc. Geology, Cum Laude, University of Utah, 1978
•  M.Sc. Geology, University of Utah, 1982
•  Ph.D. Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1994

Professional Career:

Academic Career:

Memberships:

• Geological Society of America
• Society of Economic Geologists (Fellow)
• Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada
• Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia
• Association of Professional Engineers and Geologists of British Columbia (P.Geo.)

Research:

In 1978, I was introduced to mantle minerals without a known source on anthills in Wyoming.  Finding the source of these minerals became my M.Sc. topic, and my introduction into research on the mantle.  I also have a love of hydrothermal systems and the resources they create, introduced to me as a child when my father prospected for them in the Great Basin. In 1993 I asked myself, ‘What if the principles of hydrothermal geochemistry could apply to mantle processes?’  Since then my primary passion for research has been to assume a hydrothermal mantle, then look for confirmation of that assumption in mantle processes. There is much evidence for a hydrothermal mantle, from a hydrothermal/subduction origin for diamonds, to subduction/tectonic control of kimberlite distribution, to the physics of kimberlite when considered a hydrothermal fluid. Some of the publications below deal with these concepts…others are yet to be written!

Funded Research:

University and Industry Service:

Invited University Presentations:

University of Alberta, Edmonton, ATLAS Lecture (2005, 2007)
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Distinguished Lecture (2005)
University of Arizona, Tucson, Brown Bag Lecture (2005, 2006, 2007)
University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Invited Lecture (2001)
University of Arizona, Tucson, Colloquium Lecture (2000)
Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, Invited Lecture (1998)
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, Colloquium Lecture (1996)
University of Cape Town, South Africa, Invited Lecture (1990)

Invited Industry Presentations:

Mining Exploration Group, Kimberlites and Subduction, Vancouver, (2004).
Anglo-American Research Laboratories, Osmium Isotope Systematics of the Bushveld Complex, Johannesburg, South Africa, (2003).
Mineral Exploration Roundup, Indicator morphology and surface textures, Cordilleran Exploration Round-up, Vancouver, British Columbia, (2001).
Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, Tectonics of Gemstone Deposits, Tucson, Arizona, (1999).
Pacific Northwest Mining and Metals Conference, Diamond genesis through time, Spokane, Washington, (1997).
Genmin Mining Limited, Osmium Isotope Systematics of the Bushveld Complex, Johannesburg, South Africa, (1993).
AC Delco Division - General Motors Corporation, High precision Pt-Ir-Rh-Pd measurements of catalytic converters, Detroit, Michigan, (1993).

Industry Shortcourses:

Diamond Morphology and Surface Textures, Cordilleran Exploration Round-up Shortcourse, Vancouver, British Columbia, (2003).
Kimberlites and Their Indicator Minerals, Geological Association-Mineralogical Association of Canada Shortcourse, Calgary, Alberta, co-taught with Dr. D.J.Schulze, University of Toronto, (2000).
Physical and chemical evaluation of indicator minerals, Pacific Northwest Mining and Metals Conference, Seattle, Washington, co-taught with Dr. D.J. Schulze, University of Toronto, (1995).
Exploration for Diamonds, Q-MinEx Workshop for Exploration Geologists, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, co-taught with Prof. H.H. Helmstaedt, Queens University, and Prof. J.J. Gurney, University of Cape Town, (1993).

Thesis/Dissertation Committee Member:

McGill University, Montreal, M. Patterson (M.Sc., 2008)
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, E. Gofton (M.Sc., 2007)
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, L. Boyer (M.Sc., 2004)
University of Texas at Austin, Texas, D. Dunn (Ph.D., 2002)
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, D. Meza (Ph.D., 1998)

Thesis/Dissertation External Reviewer:

Australian National University, Canberra, C.W. Magee, Jr. (Ph.D., 2002)
University of Cape Town, South Africa, A.H. Menzies (Ph.D., 2002)
University of Cape Town, South Africa, C.M. Appleyard (M.Sc., 2000)
University of Western Australia, Perth, R.L. Trautman (Ph.D., 1999)
University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, K.V. Viljoen (Ph.D., 1994)

Thesis/Dissertation Industry Liaison

University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, A. Banas (M.Sc., 2005)
Macquarie University, Australia, S. Aulbach (Ph.D., 2005)

University/Academic Committees:

Finance Committee: 9th International Kimberlite Conference, Frankfurt, Germany (2007-2008).
Technical Advisory Board Member: Mineral Deposits Research Unit, University of British Columbia, Canada (2002-2004).
Organizing Committee & Finance Committee: 8th International Kimberlite Conference, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (2002-2004).
Graduate Academic Professional Committee: Department of Geosciences,
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (1994-1996).
Graduate Admissions Committee: Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (1993-1995).
Economic Geologist Search Committee: Department of Geosciences,
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (1989-1990).
Economic Geology Curriculum Committee: Department of Geosciences,
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (1988-1989).
Kimberlite Research Group: University of Cape Town, South Africa (1985-1988).
Quaternary Geologist Search Committee: Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (1979-1980).
Geochemist Search Committee: Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (1979-1980).

Publications

Van Rhythoven, A., McCandless, T.E., Schulze, D.J., Bellis, A., Taylor, L.A. and Liu, Y. 2010. In-situ analysis of diamond growth and mineral inclusions from the Lynx kimberlite dyke complex, central Quebec. (in preparation).

Patterson, M.,  Francis, D. and McCandless, T. 2009. Kimberlites: magmas or mixtures? Lithos (in press).

Fitzgerald, C.E.,  Hetman, C.M., Lepine, I., Skelton, D.S. and McCandless, D.S. 2009. The internal geology and emplacement history of the Renard 2 kimberlite, Superior Province, Quebec, Canada. Lithos (in press).

Banas, A., Stachel, T., Muehlenbachs, K., McCandless, T.E. 2007. Diamonds from the Buffalo Head Hills, Alberta: formation in a non-conventional setting. Lithos, 93, 199-213.

Patterson, M., Francis, D. and McCandless, T. 2008. Autoliths as samples of kimberlite magma. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 72, 125.

McCandless, T.E. 2005. Diamond Indicators. Rough Diamond Review, 8, 15-19.

Hood, C.T. and McCandless, T.E. 2004. Systematic variations in xenocryst mineral composition at the province scale, Buffalo Hills kimberlites, Alberta, Canada. Lithos, 77, 733-747.

Birkett, T.C., McCandless, T.E. and Hood, C.T. 2004. Petrology of the Renard igneous bodies: host rocks for diamond in the northern Otish Mountains Region, Quebec. Lithos, 76, 475-490.

Aulbach, S.J., Griffin, W.L., O’Reilly, S.Y., and McCandless, T.E. 2004. Genesis and evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath the Buffalo Head Terrane, Alberta. Lithos, 77, 413-451.

Davies, R., Griffin, W.L., O’Reilly, S.Y. and McCandless, T.E. 2004. Inclusions in diamonds from the K14 and K10 kimberlites, Buffalo Hills, Alberta, Canada: diamond growth in a plume? Lithos, 77, 99-111.

Skelton, D.N., Clements, B., McCandless, T.E., Hood, C., Aulbach, S., Davies, R. and Boyer, L.P. 2003. The Buffalo Head Hills kimberlite province, Alberta. In Kjarsgaard, B.A. (editor) Slave Province and northern Alberta Field Trip Guidebook. Geological Survey of Canada, CD-ROM, pp.11-20.

Taylor, L.R., Keller, R.A., Snyder, G.A., Wang, W., Carlson, W.D., Hauri, E.H., McCandless, T.E., Kim, K-R., Sobolev, N.V. and Bezbordov, S.M. 2000. Diamonds and their mineral inclusions, and what they tell us: a detailed “pull apart” of a diamondiferous eclogite. International Geology Review, 42, 959-983.

McCandless, T.E. Kimberlites: mantle expressions of deep-seated subduction. 1999. in Gurney, J.J., Gurney, J.L., Pascoe, M.D. and Richardson, S.H. (editors) Proceedings of the 7th International Kimberlite Conference, Volume 2, pp. 545-549. Red Roof Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa.

McCandless, T.E., Letendre, J. and Eastoe, C.J. 1999. The morphology and carbon isotope chemistry of microdiamonds from the Dachine diamondiferous body, French Guiana. in Gurney, J.J., Gurney, J.L., Pascoe, M.D. and Richardson, S.H. (editors) Proceedings of the 7th International Kimberlite Conference, Volume 2, pp. 550-556. Red Roof Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa.

McCandless, T.E., Ruiz, J., Adair, B.I. and Freydier, C. 1999. Re-Os isotope and Pd/Ru variations in chromitites from the Critical Zone, Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 63, 911-923.

Hausel, W.D., McCandless, T.E., Kucera, R.E. and Gregory, R.W. 1999. Mantle-derived diatremes in the southern Green River Basin, Wyoming, USA. in Gurney, J.J., Gurney, J.L., Pascoe, M.D. and Richardson, S.H. (editors) Proceedings of the 7th International Kimberlite Conference, Volume 2, pp. 348-352. Red Roof Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa.

Ruiz, J. McCandless, T.E., and Helmstaedt, H.H. 1999. Re-Os model ages for eclogite xenoliths from the Colorado Plateau, USA. in Gurney, J.J., Gurney, J.L., Pascoe, M.D. and Richardson, S.H. (editors) Proceedings of the 7th International Kimberlite Conference, Volume 2, pp. 736-740. Red Roof Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa.

McCandless, T.E. and Gurney, J.J. 1997. Diamond eclogites: comparison with carbonaceous chondrites, carbonaceous shales, and microbial carbon-enriched MORB. In: N.V. Sobolev and R.H. Mitchell (Eds.) 6th International Kimberlite Conference Volume 2, Diamonds: Characterization, Genesis and Exploration. Russian Geology and Geophysics, 38, 394-404, Allerton Press, New York.

McCandless, T.E., Baker, M.E. and Ruiz, J. 1997. Trace element analysis of natural gold by laser ablation ICPMS: a combined external/internal standards approach. Geostandards Newsletter, 21,271-278. 

McCandless, T.E., Lajack, D.J., Ruiz, J. and Ghazi, A.M., 1997. Trace element determination of single fluid inclusions in quartz by laser ablation ICP-MS. Geostandards Newsletter, 21, 279-287.

Hausel, W.D., Kucera, R.E., McCandless, T.E. and Gregory, R.W. 1997. Diamond exploration targets in the Wyoming Craton, western United States. Wyoming State Geological Survey, Mineral Report MR97-2, 50p.

Freydier, C., Ruiz, J., Chesley, J.T., McCandless, T.E. and Munizaga, F. 1997. Re-Os systematics of sulfides from felsic igneous rocks: application to base metal porphyry mineralization in Chile. Geology, 25, 775-778.

Ruiz, J., Freydier, C., McCandless, T.E., Chesley, J.T. and Munizaga, F. 1997. Re-Os isotope systematics of base metal porphyry and manto-type deposits, Chile. International Geology Review, 39, 317-324.

McCandless, T.E. and Nash, W.P. 1996. Detrital mantle indicator minerals in southwestern Wyoming, USA: evaluation of mantle environment, igneous host, and diamond exploration significance. Exploration and Mining Geology, 5, 33-44.

Ghazi, A.M., McCandless, T.E., Ruiz, J. and Vanko, D.A. 1996. New quantitative approach in trace elemental analysis of single fluid inclusions: applications of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 11, 667-674.

McCandless, T.E., Nash, W.P., and Hausel, W.D. 1995. Mantle-derived minerals in anthills and paleoconglomerates of the southern Green River Basin, Wyoming. In Jones, R.G. (ed.) Wyoming Geological Association Guidebook, p.153-163.

McCandless, T.E., Waldman, M.A. and Gurney, J.J. 1994. Macro- and microdiamonds from Arkansas lamproites: morphology, inclusions, and isotope geochemistry. In: H.O.A.Meyer and O.H. Leonardos, (Eds.), 5th International Kimberlite Conference, Volume 2, Diamonds: Characterization, Genesis and Exploration, pp.78-97. CPRM Special Publication 1/B Jan/94, Companha de Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais, Brasilia, Brazil.

McCandless, T.E., Ruiz, J. and Campbell, A.R. 1993. Re distribution in molybdenite from hypogene and supergene environments: implications for Re-Os geochronometry. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 57, 889-905.

McCandless, T.E. and Ruiz, J. 1993. Rhenium-osmium evidence for regional mineralization in southwestern North America. Science, 261, 1282-1286.

Gurney, J.J., Moore, R.O., Kirkley, M.B., Otter, M.L., Hopps, J.J. and McCandless, T.E. 1991. Kimberlites of southern Africa: a review. In: A.B. Kampunzu and R.T. Lubala, (Eds.), Magmatism in Extensional Structural Settings - the Phanerozoic African Plate, Chapter 14, pp.495-536. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

McCandless, T.E., and Ruiz, J. 1991. Osmium isotopes and crustal sources for platinum-group mineralization in the Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Geology, 19, 1225-1228.

McCandless, T.E. 1990. Kimberlite xenocryst wear in high energy fluvial systems: experimental studies. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 37, 323-331.

McCandless, T.E. and Collins, D.S. 1989. A diamond-graphite eclogite from the Sloan 2 kimberlite, Colorado, USA. In: J.M. Ross (Ed.), Kimberlite and Related Rocks, Volume 2: Their Mantle/Crust Setting, Diamonds and Diamond Exploration. Geological Society of Australia, Special Publication 14, pp. 1063-1069. Blackwell Scientific, Victoria, Australia.

McCandless, T.E. and Gurney, J.J. 1989. Sodium in garnet and potassium in clinopyroxene: criteria for classifying mantle eclogites. In: J.M. Ross (Ed.), Kimberlites and Related Rocks, Volume 2: Their Mantle/Crust Setting, Diamonds and Diamond Exploration. Geological Society of Australia Special Publication 14, pp. 827-832. Blackwell Scientific, Victoria, Australia.

Newspaper/Magazine/Book Interviews

Hansen, K.  Finding diamonds in your backyard? Geotimes, July 2007, p.14.

Krajick, K., Barren Lands. 2001. Times Books, Henry Holt and Co., New York. 442 p.

Krajick, K., The Great Canadian Diamond Rush. 1994. Discover, 15, 12, p.70-79.

Broad, W. Diamonds Hold Clues to Earths Rich Lodes. New York Times, February 15, 1994.